Broken Dreams
by Donny's Boy
Summary: It had been ten long, lonely years. Ten years without a Muppet movie, a Muppet television show, or much of anything else.
1. Ten Long Years, Part I

"Broken Dreams"

By Donny's Boy

Disclaimer: I own neither the characters nor the plot of the Muppetsand/or any of their television shows or movies, and I am making no money from this story. I mean no harm.

**Part I: Ten Long Years**

It had been ten long, lonely years. Ten years without a Muppet movie, a Muppet television show, or much of anything else. Sure, the gang still did some t.v. appearances. Kermit kept up with his _Sesame Street_ obligations, Fozzie hosted a short-lived sketch comedy show on cable, Piggy did assorted print and television ads. Those old fools Statler and Waldorf even got their own internet show reviewing movies. But the Muppets had not appeared together, all of them, for ten years.

If the Muppets were the Beatles of under-three-foot celebrity, then the current state of Muppet affairs was 1977: John semi-retired, George hiding from the public eye, Paul experimenting with disco, Ringo … doing whatever it was that Ringo did.

But the fans had never given up hope. After all, the Muppets were still alive and well and funny and wonderful—why wouldn't they get back together someday?

That was the exact question Ivan Ivanovich was determined to answer. Ivan, a feature article writer for _Obsessive Voyeur_ magazine, had been assigned to do a "where are they now" piece on the Muppets and was due to interview the Great Gonzo in less than an hour. But Ivan planned to go beyond his assignment and do a little digging for the truth behind the unofficial breakup.

Would the Muppets get back together someday? Why had they gone their separate ways in the first place?

And what ever happened to the mysterious Muppet movie that was left unfinished when they split up?

-----

Author's Note: This story was originally published on Muppet Central under the name JustJ. I chose a different pen name when I signed up here, but I'm the same author. Didn't want anyone to think I stole. Thanks for reading!


	2. Interview with the Weirdo

**Part II: Interview with the Weirdo**

Gonzo found it hard to sit still for the interview. His small blue body wanted to be in motion, constantly. But now he had to content himself with simply tapping his foot. He and Ivan were sitting outside a large circus tent, eating funnel cake and chatting, and Gonzo was trying very hard to focus his boundless energy and concentrate on the conversation.

"So you're with the circus now, Mr. Gonzo," said Ivan. "Tell me a bit about how you like it here."

Gonzo smiled, and his eyes grew wide the way they did whenever something excited him. "I love what I do, Mr. Ivanovich. Being with the Bunkum & Hailey Circus has been great for me as an artist. They've let me have free creative range with my performances."

"That's wonderful. What was your most recent stunt?"

"I was shot out of a cannon."

Ivan frowned. "That's … that's it? You were simply shot out of a cannon?"

"I'm into minimalist art right now," said Gonzo.

Ivan thought about that for a minute then shrugged. "Is there anyone from the old days that you still keep in touch with?"

"Oh sure, sure. Fozzie and I meet up for coffee whenever we can—I'm on the road a lot, so it's not always easy—and I write to Rizzo fairly regularly. Have you heard of his chain of restaurants in New York? _Rizzo's Rest Stop … the best food a rat can cook._"

"Yes, I have. I'm from New York, actually, and I've seen quite a few of the restaurants."

"Oh! So you've eaten there?"

"No."

Gonzo nodded. "I don't blame you."

Then Ivan leaned forward, with a sparkle in his eye. "Mr. Gonzo, I'm here to write a story on what all the Muppets are currently up to these days. But honestly, I'm dying to know: what broke up the gang to begin with? And whatever happened to that movie everyone was talking about but never came out in theaters?"

Gonzo sighed softly and looked away. He looked up at the big expanse of blue sky over the circus tent. It had been a long time ago. Gonzo had thought he was over it, but he wasn't. Of course he wasn't. Writing letters, having coffee, doing special appearances—none of it was the same as what the Muppets once had.

"I don't know," Gonzo told Ivan. "I wish I did, but I don't. Maybe it was just time for that chapter of our lives and careers to come to an end."

Ivan and Gonzo both knew Gonzo was lying.

------

When Ivan talked to Fozzie, Fozzie said the same thing Gonzo had said. "I don't know. Maybe it was time."

So did Scooter. So did Rowlf and Sam and Chef and everyone. And Ivan knew none of them meant it. They knew. They just didn't want to tell Ivan.

So even though Ivan did his own independent research, he never found out. Nobody who had worked on the mysterious lost movie—from the producers to the stage crew to the gofers—would comment on anything that had happened on set. So Ivan wrote his article for the magazine on what his editors wanted and told his readers what projects the Muppets were working on, in and out of show business.

Ivan still had his hunches, though, about what had really happened ten years ago. There had been two Muppets who had politely but consistently refused interviews with him. Two Muppets who had never been mentioned by the others in any of their interviews. Two Muppets who were, respectively, a pig and a frog. They held the key to this mystery, Ivan knew but could not prove.


	3. A Great Movie

**Part III: A Great Movie**

Ten years ago, spirits were high at the Muppet boarding house. There had been a lot of worry about _Muppets' Wizard of Oz_—whether doing another made-for-t.v. movie was the right thing to do, whether the film would be a success, and whether it was the right project for the Muppets' endless unique talents. The film had turned out to be a mixed bag. It got some good and some bad reviews, and in monetary terms, it did respectably but not fantastically well.

But it had done well enough that Hollywood was still willing to fund Muppet projects. And right this moment, the Muppets were gathered around the kitchen table, passing around a script for their next movie. The script was so good, nobody could contain their excitement. Not that anybody was surprised it was good. This time, leaving nothing to chance, Kermit had written the script himself.

"Oh, wow, this is some great stuff, Kermit."

"Fer sure. Finally me and the band get some actual lines in a movie!"

"Kermit, do I really get a song? And get to play the piano too? Hot dog!"

"I do not think there are nearly enough lines for moi. But the lines there are, they are funny. So perhaps I can make do with what I've been given."

Kermit grinned. He was so happy that everyone liked the script. This was going to be a great movie. There was going to be more jokes, more songs, more dancing, more Muppets, more everything.

Later that night, when everyone was in bed dreaming, Kermit was still awake and thinking about the upcoming movie. He sat at his desk, looking out the window at all the beautiful stars. He smiled when it occurred to him that he, too, was a different kind of star. But they weren't too different, were they? The stars and him? People looked up at the stars and smiled. People watched the Muppets and smiled. That was what being a star was or, at least, what it was to Kermit.

His thoughts turned to projects past. Not everyone had liked some of the Muppets' latest movies. Certainly not the studio heads, with their emphasis on the bottom line. But Kermit didn't really care about them; he cared about the fans. Some of the fans, however, hadn't been happy either. And not all of the Muppets themselves had been totally happy. Kermit had to admit that in some of the most recent movies, some of his wonderful friends had not had much screen time or much space to be their wonderful selves.

But this movie was going to make everyone happy. _Well, maybe not everyone,_ thought the eternally optimistic frog, trying to be just a little realistic. But it sure seemed like it was going to make the Muppets happy, and when the Muppets were happy, the movie couldn't help but be good. Yes indeed, this was going to be a great movie.


	4. Lights! Camera! Action!

**Part IV: Lights! Camera! Action!**

Miss Piggy was not happy. Not happy at all.

Her feet hurt, from doing so many retakes of the song-and-dance number they were working on. Her entire body felt like it was baking in an oven, from being under the hot stage lights for so many hours. Her throat felt unspeakably dry, from having to sing that darn song over and over and—

"Okay, everybody, places! Once more, from the second verse this time!" called out Kermit.

Miss Piggy's baby blues narrowed. She was going to kill that frog.

But she put aside her violent urges and found her place on stage, waiting for the Electric Mayhem to cue up the music. When the first note played, Piggy sang with an energy and spirit she didn't feel:

_Here we are_

_Here I am_

_And here we go_

_Once again_

_Oh, what an adventure we'll have._

On the next verse, Gonzo, Rowlf, Scooter, Fozzie, and Rizzo joined in:

_Here we are_

_Ready to go_

_So let's get on_

_With the show_

_Oh, what an adventure we'll have._

_It's time to—_

"Cut!" shouted Kermit. "Cut!"

The Electric Mayhem's playing ground to a halt, mid-song. The Muppets in front of the camera froze, mouths still open. Then Miss Piggy spoke up. "All right, what was wrong _this_ time?"

"The dancing was a bit out of synch. Maybe we should try it from the beginning."

"Kermie." Piggy's voice had a dangerous edge to it. "We have been here since early this morning. It is very late."

Kermit waved away her words. "Yes, I know, but—"

"No," said Piggy, "I don't think you understand. If you make me do that lousy song _one … more … time_ … "

Kermit gulped. He looked at Piggy's face and knew she wasn't joking. "Okay, everyone, that's a wrap! Go home, get some rest. We have another long day tomorrow."

Everyone shuffled off to their dressing rooms. The stage crew started shutting off the lights and putting away sets and props.

Kermit turned to Piggy. "Do you really think the song is lousy?"

Hearing the hurt tone in Kermit's voice, Piggy was immediately flooded with regret at her outburst. She knew Kermit had written the lyrics himself, with Rowlf writing the tune. "No, Kermie," she reassured. "It is a wonderful song, made even more wonderful by its lead singer. I am just tired and not at my usual prime."

"Me too, Piggy. Let's go home."

They both went to their dressing rooms, washed off the stage make-up, and came out wearing their street clothes and carrying their coats. They were just about to walk out the door when a gravelly voice called out from behind: "Mr. Frog. Miss Piggy. May I have a word with both of you?"


	5. A Change of Direction

**Part V: A Change of Direction**

With a small hop of surprise, Kermit spun around. He found himself face to face with Michael Thenardier, the head of the movie studio. "Uh, hello, sir," said Kermit, wondering why the studio head had come to their set so late at night. "How are you this evening?"

"I'm very well, thank you." Thenardier pointed to the back of the room. "I was actually in the back, watching some of the filming tonight. I hope you don't mind."

"Oh! Uh … n-no, sir. Not at all." Kermit managed a weak smile. "I hope you liked what you saw."

"I did. Well. Some of it I liked." The man sat down at a nearby table and motioned for Kermit and Piggy to sit as well. "Please. Have a seat."

The pig and the frog looked at one another nervously then sat down as requested.

Thenardier continued, "Miss Piggy, I would just like to say that I love your work. Your singing was divine."

Even though she was still nervous, Piggy couldn't help preening a bit. "Why, thank you!" She nudged Kermit. "Man has excellent taste."

"Sheesh."

Thenardier smiled. "I like to think that I have good taste, yes. But more importantly, I like to think I have a feeling for what the public's tastes are. And do you know what the public has a taste for?"

Piggy looked at him blankly. "Donuts?"

"No, Miss Piggy, they have a taste for _you_." He gestured towards the pig. "Miss Piggy consistently has high approval ratings with the public. Your over-the-top personality, your constant self-reinvention, your diva status are all exactly what the reality t.v. crowd craves. Whereas you, Kermit … well, there's no gentle way of saying this, Kermit. You're old hat. You're the same frog you've always been. You're an entertainer of the past."

Both Kermit and Piggy gasped. "What are you saying?" asked Kermit.

"I'm saying you're out, Kermit, and Piggy's in."

"But … but, sir … "

"You can't do that to my frog!"

Thenardier held up his hands. "Quiet, both of you!" He waited for a second then continued, "Before anyone gets hysterical, just listen. Kermit, I'm not firing you. I'm simply removing you as director of this film. You'll still be acting in it—the public may think you're yesterday's news, but they'll still want you in it for sentimental reasons."

"But who will direct if not Kermie?"

Thenardier smiled again. "You will, Miss Piggy. I am confident that, with your imagination and vision, this film will knock everyone off their feet. And make a tidy sum at the box office."

Miss Piggy's jaw dropped. Her? A director? Oh! But then a pang. Kermit, not the director? No, she couldn't do that to Kermit. "I can't," she told the studio head.

"What do you mean, you can't?"

"I mean, I won't," she said softly. "I won't do that to Kermie."

Thenardier's smile dropped off his face in an instant. "But you will. Because if you don't, not only will both of you be fired … I'll make sure this movie never gets made and that no Muppet is ever able to get a job in entertainment again."

All three fell silent for a minute. Then just as Piggy was getting ready to argue some more, Kermit said, "Of course Piggy will do it. She'll make a great director." He looked at her sadly, his eyes pleading with her to not argue. If it meant saving the movie and the Muppets, he would gladly step aside as director. "Won't you, Piggy?"

It was with a broken heart that Piggy replied, "Yes, Kermie."


	6. Behind the Scenes

**Part VI: Behind the Scenes**

Fozzie was in his dressing room, hiding under the loveseat. He took off his hat and used it to wipe the beads of sweat from his brow. Then he started nervously twisting the hat. She was going to find him. He knew it. It was just a matter of time.

"Scooter! Just where is that good-for-nothing bear?"

Uh oh. The jig was up.

"Gee, I don't know, Miss Piggy. The last time I saw Fozzie, he was in his dressing room."

Fozzie flinched as the door opened. A pair of silver pumps were visible from under the couch. Fozzie was afraid that if he so much as breathed, Piggy would know where he was hiding.

"Fozzie?" she called out sweetly. "Oh, Fozzzzziiieee?"

Ho ho. He wasn't falling for that. No, ma'am. Piggy was trying to trick him, but he knew she was still mad. But—oh, no—a tickle—in his nose—Fozzie had to sneeze. Not good. Very not good. He tried to stifle the sneeze. He tried to fight it, but the sneeze was too strong for him. So he buried his face in his hat, hoping that would muffle the sound.

"Achoo!"

Miss Piggy whirled around. "I heard that. Show yourself, throw rug."

Wiping his nose on his scarf, Fozzie sighed and climbed up from the floor. "Here I am, Piggy. What can I do for you?"

"For starters, you can tell me why you have missed the last three morning meetings. You know how important they are."

"I, um … " Fozzie stared at the floor. Then he looked up and grinned. "Three-day flu?"

Piggy was not amused. "Try again."

Fozzie collapsed into a mess instantly. "Oh, Piggy, I'm so sorry. It's like this, Piggy, you see, I mean, it's just that—"

"Out with it, Fozzie!"

"The meetings are scary, Piggy!" Fozzie started twisting and fiddling with his hat again. "It seems nothing we do is ever right. And you change your mind so often, even if we get it right, you want us to change it anyways."

Piggy's eyes grew wide in outrage at the insubordination. But before she could yell or karate-chop Fozzie, someone coughed from behind. Miss Piggy and Fozzie both turned towards the door, where all the other Muppets had gathered to eavesdrop. "And what do you think you're doing?" asked Piggy, indignant. "Aren't all of you supposed to be rehearsing?"

"Um …"

Kermit stepped forward. "Miss Piggy, may I have a word with you?" He glanced back at the others. "Alone?"

"But of course, Kermie."

Rizzo piped up. "All right, you heard the frog. Everyone out!"

"Si," added Pepe under his breath, "we do not want to be around for this, okay. No way."

Kermit turned to Fozzie. "Fozzie, why don't you go rehearse that number you have with Rowlf?"

"Yes sir, Kermit." He didn't look at Miss Piggy but kept his eyes trained to the floor until he was in the hall, looking up only in order to shut the door behind him.


	7. Flashpoint

**Part VII: Flashpoint**

Kermit and Piggy stared each other down for several long, tense moments.

"Miss Piggy."

"Kermie."

More silence.

"You just can't treat people this way, Piggy. You scared Fozzie so bad, he was hiding under the furniture."

"I maintain that bear has always had a naturally weak constitution."

"We're supposed to be having fun."

Piggy scoffed. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm having a laugh a minute," she said sarcastically. "What with having to keep track of the costumes, the props, the cameras, as well as all of the actors and their lines and choreography." Then, before she could think better of it, she added, "You have no idea the kind of stress I'm under."

"You're right," said Kermit, responding with his own sarcasm. "I have no idea. It's only the stress I've been living with for _fifty years_!"

Piggy blushed and remained quiet, but Kermit took no notice. He was so angry, that he had lost his position, that she had yelled at his best friend, that he barreled right on: "And Fozzie's right! You have been changing your mind every three seconds. No wonder everyone's confused. No wonder everyone's messing up."

Piggy felt tears well up but fought them back. She couldn't bring herself to admit it out loud, but she too knew Fozzie was right. But it was only because she kept trying to do things the way Kermit would. She was trying to stay faithful to his vision. But, lacking Kermit's magic touch, doing so was easier said than done. She couldn't help constantly second- and triple-guessing herself.

Piggy opened her mouth, to explain why—

"I can't believe you were made the director. You must be the worst director ever."

—and shut her mouth again. "The worst director ever?" she repeated in disbelief. "You gotta be kidding me. Listen, frog, even Steven Spielberg couldn't do anything with the script I've got."

Kermit gasped. He had put his all into that script. "What are you talking about? What are you saying about the script?"

"It stinks! It stinks like Animal right before bath day!" Once she'd said it, she wished she hadn't. She didn't mean it. But it was too late now. Might as well keep going. "And why wasn't there any romantic subplot written into it, Kermit? All of our movies have that, it's what the public will expect."

"That's not true. It's what _you_ expect." Kermit shook his head. He remembered what the studio head had said about him being yesterday's news and blurted out, "Maybe I was tired of it. You're the only one allowed to try something new, to reinvent?"

Miss Piggy angrily turned her back on him. _You mean you were tired of moi,_ she thought. "Ha! Good luck with your 'reinvention'. You'll need all the luck you can get."

Something about Piggy turning her back to him was the final straw for Kermit. "I don't need luck," he told her, "and I don't need this. I quit!"

Piggy was genuinely shocked. He quit? That was inconceivable. Kermit couldn't … quit. Could he?

But once again, her anger got the better of her. "You can't quit!" she yelled. "Because you're fired!"


	8. Broken Dreams

**Part VIII: Broken Dreams**

The Muppets had tried to get the pig and frog to make up, but it was to no avail. Kermit had had his faith in himself deeply shaken by losing his position as director, and Piggy had had her feelings injured by what seemed to her to be Kermit's callousness. And since they studiously avoided each other from then on, they never saw how the other was hurting too.

The movie broke up shortly after Kermit and Piggy did. No one was surprised in the least. Miss Piggy had half-heartedly tried to rewrite the script to remove Kermit's character after Kermit left. But it became immediately apparent that, without him, the script and the movie could never be whole. So Miss Piggy finally had to call off the movie project, and the gang, dazed and confused, reluctantly left the Muppet boarding house to seek their individual fortunes.

_Saying goodbye, going away_

_Seems like goodbye's such a hard thing to say—_

Scooter and the Electric Mayhem hit the road, to do an unspecified number of "farewell" tours. But they could only book small venues and, when they found themselves opening for a Partridge Family tribute band, they decided it was time to throw in the towel. Floyd, Janice, and Animal moved to a hippy commune out west, Dr. Teeth gave interviews for all the nostalgia shows on VH-1, and Zoot napped. Scooter became a road manager for the Partridge Family tribute band.

_Touching our hands, wondering why_

_It's time for saying goodbye—_

Rowlf became an organist, playing mostly weddings and funerals, and volunteered down at the SPCA on weekends. Without the Muppets, he didn't really care to stay in show biz.

_Saying goodbye, why is it sad?  
Makes us remember the good times we've had—  
_

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his loyal assistant Beaker went to teach chemistry at the University of West Eastern. But they rarely got to blow anything up—instead, they spent most of their time writing lesson plans and grading tests.

_Much more to say, foolish to try  
It's time for saying goodbye—_

Rizzo, Pepe, and the Swedish Chef teamed up to start the restaurant chain named after Rizzo. Rizzo served mostly as spokes-rat, while the Chef developed menus and Pepe handled the finances and occasionally embezzled.

_Don't want to leave, but we both know  
Sometimes its better to go—_

Johnny and Sal moved to Vegas to do a lounge act. Clifford briefly hosted a game show then, when he got bored, also moved to Las Vegas, to play in celebrity poker tournaments. Meanwhile, still in Hollywood, Bobo became a stunt double and appeared in such movies as _Mauled_, _Mauled 2: The Return_, and _Mauled 3: The Return of the Return_.

_Somehow I know, we'll meet again  
Not sure quite where and I don't know just when—_

Fozzie did his comedy show for a while, then it was cancelled. So he moved back to his hometown, to look after his elderly mother and help run the farm. Gonzo packed up what few possessions he owned and headed out into the world with Camilla by his side. They backpacked through Europe, climbed the Himalayas down in India, and saw the Incan ruins in Peru. When they returned to America, Gonzo was offered a position with the circus and, having no other plans, he accepted.

The others? They mostly stayed in Hollywood, some getting bit parts in movies here and there, some working in the tourism industry in town, no one enjoying their jobs as much as they had enjoyed their time with the Muppets. That, everyone agreed, was a once-in-a-lifetime gig.

_You're in my heart, so until then  
It's time for saying goodbye._


	9. Broken Hearts

**Part IX: Broken Hearts**

But what about Piggy and Kermit? What happened to them? Well.

Nobody really knew. Kermit did some _Sesame Street_ and spent as much time as possible with his nephew Robin, and Piggy did some commercials, but other than that, the two bright-shining stars seemed to drop off the face of the earth. They almost never gave interviews—especially surprising, since Miss Piggy used to give them at the rate of three a day—and even when an interviewer could get one of them to agree to be interviewed, it was always by phone. And neither Kermit nor Piggy ever answered questions about each other or much of anything else but their current project.

Not even the other Muppets knew what was going on with those two. Both Kermit and Piggy kept in touch with their old friends, of course, but their letters and phone calls were always slightly superficial. For instance, the letters never had a return address and the phone calls were always initiated by Kermit or Piggy. Nobody knew how to directly contact them. They also never talked about the past. They never talked about the good old days. And they never talked about the movie that almost was.


	10. Ten Long Years, Part II

**Part X: Ten Long Years**

But all of that had happened so long ago. Ten long years. Gonzo stood outside, gazing up at the sky, just as he had that day several months ago when that interviewer had come to see him. Now, however, it was nighttime and bitterly cold. Gonzo hugged himself for warmth and zipped up his coat. The sky was cloudless, and the stars shone brightly in the frosty December air. It was worth the risk of frostbite to see the stars like this.

Gonzo couldn't remember what town they were in. Or even what state. Moreover, he couldn't bring himself to care. He looked back at his circus trailer, where he knew Camilla was sitting inside, keeping warm. She was all he had left. He sighed. As much as he loved her—and he loved her more than life itself—he still missed the life he'd had. He missed the Muppets. He missed his family.

He picked up the guitar lying next to him. Even though it was hard to play with numb fingers, Gonzo strummed anyways. The old guitar had always been his trusty friend in times of need.

Gonzo sang softly,

_I feel so small and useless_

_Ambiguous and clueless_

_I just can't seem to get anything right_

_I feel so invisible tonight._

_All the plastic Santas_

_Doing hula dances_

_Remind me that I don't belong_

_All the fake snow falling_

_And my friends not calling_

_Leave me nothing but this song._

_On the most miserable Christmas_

_Of my life—_

"Bawk, bawk?"

Gonzo jumped a little. "Oh, Camilla," he said, smiling when he turned to see his lady love. "I didn't hear you come out here."

"Bawk, bawk."

"Fozzie's on the telephone?"

"Bawk."

Gonzo hurriedly stood up. "Well, why didn't you say so?" He rushed back to the trailer, wondering why Fozzie was calling. Although they met up every now and then, Fozzie almost never called. He picked up the receiver, suddenly feeling a bit nervous. He hoped Fozzie wasn't calling because something was wrong.

"Hello? Fozzie?"

"Gonzo! Long time, no hear!" Fozzie sounded cheerful enough, so Gonzo relaxed a little. "How are you this fine winter evening?"

"I'm … good. How have you been?"

"I've been … good." Now Fozzie sounded less cheerful. "Actually, Gonzo, I've been thinking. Ever since I did this interview a while ago."

Could it be …

"Was this interview with Ivan Ivanovich of _Obsessive Voyeur_ magazine, by any chance?" Gonzo asked.

"Yes!" gasped Fozzie. "How did you _know_ that?"

"Weirdo's intuition. So, tell me what's been on your mind?"

Fozzie's voice grew cheerful again. "Well, talking with Mr. Ivanovich made me think about the old days, and … I miss the Muppets. Don't get me wrong, I love dear old Mom, but I miss you, Gonzo. I miss everybody."

"Aw. I miss you too, Fozzie."

"So I'm thinking, it's time for a reunion!"

Gonzo felt himself smile the largest smile he'd smiled in ten years.


	11. Back in Business

**Part XI: Back in Business**

Fozzie sat on the couch in his mother's old house, watching the clock. Gonzo sat in a nearby armchair with Camilla. "Where is everybody?" Fozzie complained.

"Don't worry. They'll be here."

"But I was very specific that the meeting would begin at noon."

Gonzo went over to the couch and rested his hand on Fozzie's shoulder. "Fozzie, we got spread out all over the globe after we split up. Some late arrivals are to be expected. You have to be patient."

"But there haven't been _any_ arrivals, Gonzo. Except for you, and I asked you to come a day early." Fozzie jumped up, agitated. "They're not coming! Oh, I just know it! They're not coming, it's been too long, this was a crazy idea to begin with."

"No crazier than any of our ideas."

But before they could discuss it any further, Camilla chimed in. "Bawk. Bawk, bawk."

Gonzo cocked his head. "No, I don't hear anything." He walked over to the window and listened intently. "Oh, wait. Yes! Yes, I do hear something."

_Together again_

_Gee, it's good to be together again_

_I just can't imagine that you've ever been gone_

_It's not starting over, it's just going on._

"They're here!" Gonzo cried excitedly.

Fozzie got up too. "Who's here?"

"Everyone, Fozzie! Everyone!"

_Together again_

_Now we're here and there's no need remembering when_

_Cause no feeling feels like that feeling_

_Together again!_

Before Fozzie could get to the window, the front door burst open. Rowlf was the first one to enter, and he immediately grabbed Fozzie in a huge bear hug. Fozzie hugged him back. Then Floyd walked in and hugged them both.

Soon, the entire house teemed with bears and chickens and pigs and other assorted life forms. Fozzie couldn't help a smile from spreading ear to ear. There were Beaker and Bunsen sharing stories with the Electric Mayhem in the living room. There were Lew Zealand and Beauregard, sitting on the stairs, trading jokes and laughs. The Swedish Chef and Link Hogthrob in the kitchen, arguing over whether the Chef should get to cook Link. The penguins doing high dives in the bathtub upstairs. Bean Bunny and Bobo on the back porch, discussing quantum physics and chaos theory. Rizzo and Pepe in the pantry, tearing through a bag of potato chips like there was no tomorrow. The house was filled with wonderful, Muppetful chaos.

But as Fozzie looked around at his reunited friends, he realized that Gonzo had been wrong. Not quite everyone was here.


	12. Logistics

**Part XII: Logistics**

The Muppets convened in Emily Bear's old red barn, the only space large enough for all of them, to discuss logistics. They sat on bales of hay while anxiously discussing their options. Getting Miss Piggy and Kermit back on good terms was not going to be a simple task. Not after ten years.

"Well, like, how are we going to pull it off? I mean, really, they haven't spoken in ten years!"

"Beakie and I could concoct an amnesia potion!"

"Mee meep!"

"I will serenade them, okay. If it worked for that crab in the stupid mermaid movie, it cannot help but work for the king prawn."

"Yo, the Chef and I can cook up a nice dinner. Nothing says romance like two pounds of steak."

"Borky borka ruumance-a."

"ROMANCE! ROMANCE!"

"It ain't gonna work, people. Kerm and the pig have been on the outs for just too long."

"Mmm, steak … "

"Just leave it to old Brown Ears. I have counseled that frog on women many times before and, trust me, I'll counsel him many times again. Heh, heh. Don't mean he'll listen, though."

"Does anybody have some steak? Anybody?"

Fozzie cleared his throat. "Everybody, calm down a little. Let's talk about this rationally."

But nobody was listening.

"I do not think any of you weirdos are capable of pulling off a stunt like this."

"I could throw my boomerang fish!"

"How would that help?"

"Well, I throw them and they come back to me."

"Yes, but how would that … oh, never mind."

"I think, in my most excellently righteous opinion, that this problem is nothing that a good song or two won't indelibly exacerbate."

"_Everybody, quiiiiieeeet!_"

Everyone instinctively stopped mid-sentence. But when they realized that it was only Fozzie who had yelled the command, they began speaking all at once again.

Fozzie turned to Gonzo with a defeated look on his face. "I'm just no good at being Kermit," he groaned.

"That's okay. I'll take care of this." Gonzo pulled out a pair of cymbals and crashed them together. Everyone yelped and covered their ears. Gonzo looked over at Fozzie. "They're all yours. Good luck."

"Okay, everybody," said Fozzie. "I know this is hard. I know it's been a long time. But you can't tell me that you don't miss Kermit."

Nods and murmurs of agreement all around.

"You can't tell me that you don't miss Piggy."

Silence.

"Oh, come on."

More silence. Then Rowlf sighed. "I have to admit," he said, "it wouldn't be the same without her around hamming it up."

Everyone laughed at that, and Fozzie felt encouraged. So he continued. "That's right. We've all had differences in the past, and it's been a long time, but—but we're family. And that's what really matters. So let's figure out how to get our family—_all_ of our family—back together."

Everyone fell into silence again, but this time it was a thoughtful silence. Finally, tentatively, Scooter offered, "Well, we don't even know where Kermit and Piggy are or how to contact them. So I guess we should start there."

"Like, how are we gonna find that out? You know how carefully they guard their privacy these days."

Suddenly Gonzo brightened. "I know how!"


	13. Let's Make a Deal

**Part XIII: Let's Make a Deal**

All the Muppets had crammed back into the house and were listening closely as Gonzo spoke on the telephone.

"Hello, Mr. Ivanovich?" Gonzo asked. "Mr. Ivanovich, hello! This is Gonzo. You interviewed me a few months ago, remember?" A pause. "Yes, that's right." Another pause. "Well, sir, I have a proposal for you."

"PROPOSAL!" chanted Animal.

Floyd glared. "Quiet, Animal! Sit!"

"I never thought Gonzo was the marrying type," said Rizzo, snickering.

Fozzie laughed. "Ah, that's funny! Wocka wocka!"

Gonzo ignored them. "If I remember correctly, you couldn't get an interview with either Kermit the Frog or Miss Piggy when you wrote your article. What if I told you that I can not only get you an interview with them … but an exclusive scoop on a Muppet reunion?" Another pause, and Gonzo shook his head. "Nope, it's no joke. But there is a catch—you have to do something for us."

Everyone craned their necks forward, trying to hear the journalist's side of the conversation. "Is he going to do it?" whispered Rowlf.

"Just one small favor," said Gonzo into the phone. "Find out where Kermit and Piggy are living and let us know. Then we'll get you those interviews, Mr. Ivanovich. What do you say? Do we have a deal?"

Everyone held their breath.

And then Gonzo broke out into a whoop. "Great! Oh, _thank_ you, Mr. Ivanovich! I promise you, you will get the best story ever!" He hung up and turned to his friends. "Guys! He's going to do it!"

"Yay!" The Muppets started cheering and hugging and celebrating, filling the house with joyful noise.

Then Pepe frowned and turned to Gonzo. "We're not really going to get him any interviews, are we?"

"Pepe!" Fozzie looked shocked. "We made a deal. You can't break a deal."

"You have obviously not met my cousin Manolo."

Gonzo interrupted, "Hey, let's focus on what's important."

Fozzie nodded. "You're right."

"Si," added Pepe. "We are going to be famous and in movies again, okay!"


	14. Networking

**Part XIV: Networking**

Ivan Ivanovich sat in his cubicle at _Obsessive Voyeur_ magazine, tapping a pencil against his desk. When he had made that deal with the Muppets, he might have bitten off more than he could chew. The locations of Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy were two of the most carefully guarded secrets in Hollywood. Nobody, but nobody, knew where they lived these days. And the people who did know weren't talking.

But if he could get the information and the interview, he would definitely get a raise and maybe even a promotion. All right, then. Time to get to work.

But where to start? Well, Kermit _was_ still doing _Sesame Street_ appearances. Ivan opened his file of contacts and browsed through it. Maybe a fellow cast member would know where he was. Ivan didn't have any information on how to directly contact any of the _Sesame Street_ cast—just the names and numbers of their publicists, and they weren't going to give him any personal information on their stars. But then he came across his notes from the last Muppet article he'd written and got an idea.

He picked up the phone and dialed. An older man picked up, barking, "What do you want?"

"Uh." Ivan was already sweating. "Is this Mr. Statler?"

"No, this is Waldorf, his better half."

Through the phone Ivan could hear someone else shout, "Is it for me?", and Waldorf shouted back, "No, you old fool! Go back to sleep!"

"Mr. Waldorf," Ivan tried again, "I was wondering if you happened to—"

There was a loud noise on the other end, followed by some muffled shouting. Then Ivan heard Statler's voice. "Hello? Hello?"

"Mr. Statler?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

From the background Waldorf called out, "That's what I was _trying_ to find out."

"This is Ivan Ivanovich. I'm a staff writer with _Obsessive Voyeur_ magazine."

"Ah, yes," said Statler. "I buy that magazine all the time."

Ivan couldn't help smiling. "Really? You do?"

"Of course. It makes great lining for the canary cage!" And then both old men burst out in laughter. "Do ho ho ho!"

Ivan shook his head. He'd walked right into that one. "But in all seriousness," he continued, "I was hoping you might be able to help me. I'm trying to locate Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy."

"The pig and the frog? What do you want with them?" asked Statler.

"More importantly, what's in it for us?" added Waldorf.

"Gentlemen, please, have pity. I'm trying to reunite the Muppets. You know, get the gang back together. Surely you can support that goal."

"Well … " Waldorf thought it over. "You know, there is one thing I like about that theater."

"Really?" Statler sounded surprised. "What's that?"

"It shut down ten years ago."

"Do ho ho ho!"

Ivan rolled his eyes, even though he knew they couldn't see. "All right then. I'll try someone else. Thank you for your time."

"Wait! Now hold on." Statler sighed. "The truth is, I guess I do miss them. Just a little!"

Ivan grinned. He just knew the old coots must have a soft spot.

"Ever write that in that magazine of yours, and we'll sue," warned Waldorf.

"But," Statler continued, "we only know where the pig is. We don't know what happened to the frog."

"Gentlemen, I will take whatever I can get."


	15. Operation Bring Home the Bacon, Part I

**Part XV: Operation "Bring Home the Bacon," Part One**

Back in the Bear family's old barn, shivering from the cold, the Muppets again convened to discuss strategy. Via Ivan, they only knew how to find Piggy, who was living in the middle of the Navajo desert in a custom-built mansion. Which was unfortunate because Kermit would have been the infinitely easier one to approach. Miss Piggy was just so—

"Pig-headed!"

"And irrational!"

"And violent. Don't forget the violence, okay."

"I mean, what's to stop her from just hanging up on us when we call her?"

Gonzo nodded. "You're right. So let's not give her the chance. We'll go see her in person."

Floyd raised a bushy eyebrow. "What's to stop her from _killing_ us in person, man?"

Dr. Teeth chuckled loudly, his whole body shaking with laughter, while Fozzie frowned disapprovingly at both band members.

"Well," said Scooter thoughtfully, "what if we took her by surprise? We might have a chance then." He turned to Sam. "Sam, didn't you go work for the Secret Service after we split up?"

The large blue eagle puffed up his feathers. "Yes. It was a job that a true patriot such as myself was born to do."

"With all that experience, couldn't you come up with a way of breaking into Piggy's mansion and sneaking up on her?"

"I could," said Sam, with more than a hint of pride in his voice. "But I seriously doubt you weirdos would be able to pull it off."

"Please, Sam?" pleaded Gonzo, eyes wide with hope.

"Please?"

"Aw, come on, Sam."

"Do it for Kermit, Sam!"

Sam thought it over. For Kermit? Well. He had to admit he owed the frog. Kermit had always believed in him, even when none of the other Muppets did. "All right," Sam said. "I'll do it. For Kermit." He straightened up and surveyed his troops. They were indeed a ragtag bunch, but they would have to do. "The key to any such mission is to appropriately use each team member's strengths. Now let us begin. Does anyone have blueprints of Miss Piggy's home?"

"Si," said Pepe, laying out the papers on a nearby bale of hay. "They were just faxed to us this morning, okay."

"Excellent work, Mr. Prawn. As you can see from the plans, there is a tall exterior wall surrounding the house. Crazy Harry!"

Harry perked up. "Sir, yes, sir!"

"You will be our explosives man. Your job will be to blow a hole in the wall so that we may enter."

"Crazy Harry explode!" said Harry, pushing down the detonator on his omnipresent dynamite. The explosion blew out some of the boards on the barn and, while few Muppets seemed to care, a horse whinnied in meek protest at the noise.

Sam shook his head and muttered, "I regret this already."

Rizzo studied the plans. "But what if Piggy's got security guards? Won't they hear the explosion?"

"That is where you come in, Mr. Rat," said Sam. "Your small size will allow you to enter underneath the gates. You will then do surveillance and, if there are any guards, subdue them with a sleeping gas developed by—" Sam whirled around and pointed towards Bunsen and Beaker. "—Dr. Honeydew and his loyal assistant Mr. Beeker."

"Righto!"

"Mee mo!"

Satisfied with their enthusiasm, Sam nodded approvingly. "Once the guards are asleep, we will enter through the hole in the wall. Mr. Gonzo, it will be your duty to devise a way of scaling the walls of the mansion."

"Neat! How about shooting ourselves out of cannons?"

"That will do." The eagle then turned to the flock of penguins congregating by the cow's stall. "Penguins, once we are on the roof, you will peck out the skylight—you can see it here on the blueprints—so that we may gain entry."

The penguins chattered their assent.

Next, Sam turned to Fozzie and Rowlf. "Mr. Bear. Mr. Dog. Your job is to distract the pig while the others sneak up behind her. Perhaps you can put together a short vaudeville routine?"

"Ah! Of course! Did you hear the one about the—"

"Not now, Fozzie," whispered Rowlf.

"Oh. Sorry."

Sam glared at them but continued, "The rest of us will then seize the pig and subdue her."

Janice looked alarmed. "Like, easier said than done!"

"I understand your reserve. But considering how many of us there are, I think it possible, if not probable."

Everyone fell silent, thinking about the huge task before them. They all hoped they were up to the challenge. Finally Fozzie broke the silence: "All right! Everybody, out to the bus! Let's get the show on the road!"

A mad dash out the barn's door followed, with Muppets fighting to get a good seat on the bus and avoid having to be seatmates with Animal. Sam was the last to leave, walking slowly. "To think," he said to himself, "that I went from serving the president of the United States of America … to _this_." But then he too climbed aboard the bus, and the adventure was underway.


	16. Operation Bring Home the Bacon, Part II

**Part XVI: Operation "Bring Home the Bacon," Part Two**

Only a few small candles shed light in the large living room. Miss Piggy preferred it that way. Although she'd loved how large the house was when she bought it, she soon came to hate how alone it made her feel. But in the dark, it didn't seem quite so large or quite so lonely.

Piggy was seated on the couch, and Foo Foo laid beside her, snoring softly. Piggy smiled at the little white poodle. It was good to know that she wasn't _entirely_ alone.

In Piggy's lap was an old photo album, edges worn down with age. She looked at the pictures in the front of the album. These were the oldest pictures. She had been so young and beautiful then, so full of hope and longing. There was a picture of her winning that fateful beauty contest, the contest which had led to her meeting a certain frog. And a bear and a chicken and a whatever. She smiled at the memory of that first meeting, even as the tears trickled down her cheek. She couldn't believe that she had come to love them so much. But she did. Even that buzzard-beaked weirdo.

She closed the album and sighed. It had been so very long ago. She got up, to put the album back on the bookshelf, when—

_Ka-boom!_

"What the—?"

Foo Foo woke up and whimpered a little. Piggy petted the little dog and cooed, "There, there, precious. It's okay. Mommy's right here." She took the dog into her arms then went over to the nearest window. It was dark outside, but she could still see dozens of shadowy figures creep across her lawn. "I see we have visitors, Foo Foo. Shall we go welcome them?"

She walked over to the hall closet and, after pulling out a baseball bat, took a few deep breaths to steady her nerves. In. Out. Okay. She was ready now to face whatever intruders dared breach her fortress. She approached the foyer and threw open the front door. "Show yourself, jerkos!" she yelled out into the night.

The shadowy figures froze in fear. They were busted, and they knew it.

When nobody responded after several moments, Piggy grew irritated. "You have ten seconds to tell me who you are and why you're here. _Or else_."

One of the figures stepped into the stream of light which poured out from the house. Piggy gasped. "Fozzie? F-Fozzie, is that you?"

"Yes, Miss Piggy." The bear looked over his shoulder. "Come on, guys. It's okay."

She couldn't believe it. This couldn't be happening. And yet it was. One by one, her old friends and coworkers emerged from the shadows.

Fozzie stepped forward. "Miss Piggy," he started, nervously. "We're really sorry to just barge in like this, and we hope you're not mad—we really, really hope you're not mad—but you see, well, it's like this—" But Fozzie was cut off by Piggy throwing herself forward and embracing him in a hug.

"Oh, Fozzie," said Piggy with a choked voice, "please come in." She looked past Fozzie, at everyone else. "Please, everyone, come in."


	17. Love Means Sometimes Saying You're Sorry

**Part XVII: Love Means Sometimes Saying You're Sorry**

Everyone sat around the fire in the living room, warming themselves and drinking hot chocolate. Even in the desert, winter nights were bone-chilling. For a while no one made conversation. Piggy was perfectly content to just sit with all of her loved ones gathered around her. It was still so unreal. She was afraid if she spoke, the spell would be broken and the dream would suddenly end, leaving her alone again.

"Miss Piggy?" Fozzie leaned forward. "We should tell you why we're here."

Miss Piggy felt her heart catch in her throat. Oh, no. This was such a perfect moment, all of them here by the fire. She didn't want it to end.

"We want to get the gang back together."

Gonzo spoke up next. "That's right. Whether it's a television show or a theater show or doing movies, it doesn't matter. We belong together."

"Won't you join us, Miss Piggy?"

"Yeah, Piggy?"

"Pretty please?"

Miss Piggy looked around the room at them all. Then she broke out into hysterical, uncontrollable sobbing.

"Well," said Rowlf. "This wasn't quite the response we'd hoped for."

Scooter stepped forward and placed a hand on Piggy's shoulder. "Miss Piggy? Gosh, Miss Piggy, was it something we said?"

"I just … I just … " Piggy took a breath and calmed down a bit. "I was so horrible while director! I didn't mean to be. I … I just wanted everything to be right, just like Kermit would have wanted it. But still, I acted very badly. I cannot believe, after all that happened, you really want moi back."

"Of _course_ we do," said Beauregard, smiling.

Everyone nodded vigorously.

Piggy felt so happy, she was afraid she might burst from the emotion. Then her heart fell. Kermit. Maybe the other Muppets had forgiven her, but there was no way Kermit would. Not after the things she'd said to him.

"No," she told everyone, shaking her head. "I'm sorry but I can't face Kermit again. And I won't stand in his way. He deserves to have all of you back in his life more than I do."

"But Kermit wants you to come back too," said Rowlf quickly.

Piggy stared at the dog in disbelief. "He does?"

Fozzie scratched his head. "He does?"

"Fozzie, play along," Gonzo whispered, elbowing the bear in the ribs for emphasis.

"Sure! Sure he does, Piggy. He's been saying so for ten years." Fozzie turned to the rest of the group. "Isn't that right?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Says so all the time."

"Fer sure."

Miss Piggy's face brightened. She jumped up. "All right. Let's go see Kermie, then!"

The gang all exchanged looks.

"Well." Fozzie took off his hat and cleared his throat. "There's the problem. We, uh, don't really know where Kermit is. Or how to find him."


	18. The Bells

**Part XVIII: The Bells**

Slowly Kermit the Frog walked along the rooftop. He liked it up here. From up here, he could see several blocks in any direction—see the neon lights of the neighboring buildings, the quiet streets below, the nearby church with its fearsome gargoyles. These were Kermit's only company tonight, and he was grateful for them.

He had lost almost everyone else. The loss cut especially deep at night, when he found himself alone with his thoughts. At least during the day, he had work and Robin to attend to. To keep his mind occupied. But work was over and, after making sure his teenage nephew Robin was safely in bed, Kermit had bundled up in a large overcoat and long red scarf and climbed up here.

Kermit looked over the side of the roof, at the sign on the building: The Muppet Theater. And below that, in smaller letters: Museum of the Theatrical Arts. He came here every year on this day, even though the theater had been turned into a museum over five years ago. This was, after all, the anniversary of the theater's first opening.

_I'd had such hopes back then,_ thought Kermit. Just him and his friends, making people happy. It had seemed like such a crazy dream yet it had come true. But only for a while. Then the dream had been dashed on the hard rocks of reality. It didn't help that Kermit knew he himself had been the one to break those dreams. _If only I hadn't lost my temper that day,_ he thought, cursing himself for his stupidity. _If only I hadn't walked away from everything and everyone I loved, just because of one silly fight._

He walked along another few feet then gazed up at the sky. The stars weren't quite so bright in the city, because the neon and fluorescent drowned them out, but they were still there. Tonight something about the stars made him even sadder, however, and he began to sing a mournful ballad up to them:

_Was I dumb or was I blind_

_Or did my heart just lose its mind_

_Why'd I go and throw our perfect dream away?_

From behind, another voice took up the second verse:

_Looking back, I'll never know_

_How I ever let you go_

_But destiny could see we deserved to have another day._

"What the hey?" Kermit didn't believe he'd heard what he'd heard, so he remained perfectly still. The cold wind whipped against him as he stood on the roof's edge.

He didn't turn around to look until that same voice called out to him, gently: "Kermie?"

"Piggy?" He turned.

Miss Piggy stepped towards him. What could she say? She wanted to say everything, all at once, but instead she simply said, "I'm so sorry, Kermie."

Kermit gulped hard. Was this real? Was she real? "Oh, Piggy. I'm sorry too."

"I never meant to hurt you."

"Neither did I."

"Can you ever forgive me?"

"Only if you can forgive me."

They hugged each other close, and not just to keep out the winter's cold. Finally Kermit asked, "How did you ever find me? I never told anyone I'd be coming here."

"It was easy," explained Piggy with a small laugh. "Where else would you be on the theater's anniversary?"

Kermit hugged her even tighter, touched that she would remember this anniversary too, after all these years. They stood there on the roof for several more minutes, neither wanting to let the other go. Then the bells from the church started to chime. After the twelfth ring faded into the night, Piggy pulled back and smiled. It was now officially Christmas morning.

"Merry Christmas, Kermie."

"Merry Christmas, Piggy."


	19. Ten Long Years, Part III

**Part XIX: Ten Long Years**

It had been ten long, wonderful years. Years filled with love and laughter and tears and weddings and births and family and, of course, filled with entertainment. After the much-celebrated, much-publicized Muppet reunion, the gang had gone almost immediately to work.

They did theater. They had bought another, somewhat run-down theater and fixed it up. The new theater was consistently sold out of tickets.

They did television. For a while they hosted a late-night comedy show, then later they got a prime-time variety show. Eventually both were cancelled, but that just meant more time to put on quality shows at the theater.

They made movies. Everyone agreed that there was just too many bad feelings associated with the old unfinished movie, so they made another movie, from a totally new script. The film was a roaring success, and so was the movie they made after that.

-----

Ivan Ivanovich sat with his feet propped up on his desk, in his large editor's office at the magazine. He'd just finished reading an article on the ten year anniversary of the Muppets' reunion, and his writer was sitting nervously in the chair in front of him.

"Well, Chief, what do you think?"

"This is good writing, Patti," said Ivan, handing the article back to her. "I've made a few notes, take a look. But overall, you did a great job."

Patti smiled a little. "Thanks, Chief."

"Now go make those revisions," said Ivan, picking up another article to review and edit.

"Will do." Patti, still smiling, headed towards the door. Then she paused. "Mr. Ivanovich? There's something I've always wondered."

Ivan looked up from the papers in his hand. "Yes?"

"How did you get that scoop back then, Chief? How did you know before anyone else that the Muppets were getting back together?"

Ivan looked at her with a mischievous grin. "A little birdie told me," he explained, adding silently, _Thank you, Gonzo._


	20. It's Never Too Late

**Part XX: It's Never Too Late**

The cast of _The New Muppet Revue_ slowly meandered into the rehearsal room, chatting and laughing. The Electric Mayhem were already there, engaged in a jazzy jam session in a far corner. Everyone else gathered around Rowlf, seated at his trusty old piano, and continued their conversations there. "I can't believe we're going to win an Oscar," said Beauregard, beaming happily.

Rizzo cleared his throat. "Um, Beau? We're not winning an Oscar. We're going to perform _on_ the Oscars."

Beauregard scratched his head. "But the statues are so small! How will we all fit?"

Gonzo exchanged looks with Rizzo, while Miss Piggy sighed in frustration. Pepe tugged on Beau's shirtsleeve to get his attention. "Beauregard, I do not think you understand, okay. Let Pepe explain … "

Then all attention shifted to the doorway, as Kermit strode purposefully into the room carrying a large stack of papers. Even the Mayhem stopped, mid-jam. "Hi ho," he said, smiling at everyone. "Is everyone here?"

Fozzie did a quick look over the room. "Seems like it, Kermit."

"So Kerm," said Clifford, "what song we gonna be doing? 'Rainbow Connection'?"

"Yeah, that one's a classic. Good choice, Cliff."

"Ooh! How about something from _Manhattan Melodies_?"

"What about 'Hey, A Movie'? What could be more appropriate for the Academy Awards then that?"

Kermit shook his head and grinned. "Nope. We're going to do an entirely new song." He started handed out papers from the stack. "Here, everybody take one and look over the lyrics." He handed one to Rowlf, who was sitting at his piano. "Think you can play this?"

Rowlf glanced at it. "Can I play this? Was Beethoven German?"

"Beethoven was German?" asked Zoot sleepily, cradling his saxophone as a baby would a pillow. "Aw, man, someone should have told me!"

Once everyone had a copy, Kermit gave them a few minutes to look over the music and warm up their voices. Then he asked everyone to gather around the piano. Rowlf played the opening notes with gusto, and Kermit sang,

_It's never too late_

_To set a forgotten wrong right_

Piggy sang the next lines,

_It's never too late_

_To make your first solo flight_

Then Fozzie and Gonzo, singing harmony:

_Just jump out of the nest_

_And soon you'll take wing_

_Just taking a try is everything_

Then everyone joined in, their voices filling the rehearsal studio:

_It's never too late_

_To reunite with a lost friend_

_It's never too late_

_To try to make amends_

_Because love is something_

_Stronger than even fate_

_Don't ever believe it's too late._


End file.
